By Miguel Maravilla and Jeff Zimmerman
A new star has emerged and taken the throne as undefeated four-division superstar Terence “Bud” Crawford (42-0, 31 KOs) of Omaha, Nebraska, defeats Mexican superstar, undisputed super middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Álvarez (63-3-2, 39 KOs) of Guadalajara, Mexico, by unanimous decision Saturday night at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
A slow paced first round for Canelo to begin as he stalked while Crawford popped the jab and circled connecting with a left, later in the round Canelo followed up with an overhand that was blocked and then poked to the body.
The following round, Canelo came out shooting the right in the second and missed as Bud Crawford kept his distance boxing circling, Canelo connected with a body shot as Crawford kept boxing.
Keeping his distance and circling in round three, Crawford pumped the jab and then followed with a counter left as Canelo attempted to get inside snapping his head in the process.
Crawford came out shooting in the fourth as he tagged Canelo with a snapping combination, despite the flurry the Mexican kept pressing shooting and landing a straight right. Canelo appeared to be pacing with Crawford later in and connected boldly to close the round.
Fight was competitive through five as Crawford was effective from a distance and Canelo landed the big punches.
At the halfway point in the sixth, Crawford continued to box landing effectively as Canelo pressed and began closing some distance and digged downstairs to the body. Canelo connected with a low blow as referee Thomas Taylor told Alvarez to keep em up.
Past the halfway point in the seventh round , Crawford remained effective using his hand speed and boxing away. Canelo kept pressing and shooting to the body and mixing in the overhand right.
Digging to the body in round eight, Crawford ripped Canelo with body shots as Canelo searched for openings, Bud kept circling the ring keeping his distance.
Bud came out shooting in the ninth digging to the body and taking to Canelo. Alvarez appeared to be frustrated as he couldn’t find a rhythm, moments later Canelo got rough as he headbutted Crawford. Referee Thomas Taylor warned Canelo as Crawford kept boxing away.
Late in the fight in the tenth, Canelo was obviously frustrated as Crawford kept beating and outworking Alvarez to the punch moving his feet and boxing effectively. Canelo connected with a solid right but Crawford continued to box.
In the championship rounds, Canelo and Crawford traded in the center to start the eleventh as Crawford got the better of the exchange, boxing confidently, outworking and keeping Alvarez stalking and punching. Crawford connected with a flurry to begin the twelfth and final round as he beat Canelo to the punch but Alvarez kept letting his hands go chasing away in going the distance.
After going the distance the judges scored the bout 116-112, 115-113, and 115-113 as Crawford is now the new undisputed super middleweight champion and now a becomes boxing’s first undisputed champion in three division.
